Arsenal v Sevilla is the Matchday 1 game we’ve all been waiting for.
And I can’t wait. Matchday 1 is my favourite day of the season. Europe’s finest teams kick off their group games and they’re all trying.
For Arsenal, Sevilla is a step up from beating Spurs 3-1 last Saturday.
For Sevilla, it’s a step up from winning the Uefa Cup twice. It’s nice to beat Espanol on penalties at Hampden Park last May but this is the big time and the big money.
Sevilla are collectively competitive, a compact, fiery outfit whose key man is right back Dani Alves, the Brazilian that Liverpool and Chelsea tried to sign.
Their strikers are Kanoute, Kerzhakov and Luis Fabiano, a Brazilian who usually starts ahead of the Russian. I’ve watched a lot of La Liga is the last few years and I have to say that Kanoute and Fabiano have not impressed me that much. The team has impressed but those two haven’t. It’s a pretty weird thing to say, I know, but I have to state that view.
Luis Fabiano is a striker I first saw in the Copa America, and he had that elastic-explosive body movement, a bit like Tino Asprilla, or Stan Collymore when he was trying, or the young Andy Cole when I first saw him for Arsenal in the Makita Tournament at Highbury.
Fabiano looked great playing for Brazil. But he’s never looked good to me in la Liga. Kanoute and Fabiano are not scary, not world-beaters.
However, Kerzhakov is a terrific striker who scored twice in their 4-1 demolition of Recreativo in Sunday. He does impress me.
Seville have played three games since the tragic death of Antonio Puerta, their 22-year old left wingback, and they’ve won all three by 4-1. They are second in La Liga after two games.
Real Madrid will expect to beat Werder Bremen, an interesting challenge for new German coach Bernd Schuster. We all know what president Calderon does to coaches who don’t win the European Cup.
Schalke, sponsored by Gazprom, are at home to Valencia, who have never won in eight games in Germany.
In Milan, it’s a night for old men as Rui Costa returns to the club where he played the role that Kaka plays now.Rui Costa is 35 and captain of Benfica, after playing seven years for Fiorentina and five for Meelan before rejoining his original club.
Can Chelsea beat Rosenborg without Drogba and Lampard?
Gordon Strachan is in the Ukraine with Celtic tonight. Good luck, wee man !
Yes, I’m sure Matchday 1 is the most interesting day of the football season. Not least because it lasts two days.
Right now we think we know who the best teams are. But let’s see how the big boys start off. Let’s see how Sporting Lisbon v Manchester United works out. And we wonder how the middle-sized boys will start off, like Sevilla.
Teams like that love to punch above their weight, so Arsenal will have to be at their best. They’re on form, they’re top of the table, they’re coming off a 3-1 win at White Hart Lane, and have all their best players available, apart from Gallas. Senderos is back and that could allow Gilberto to play in his proper position, which is crucial in a match like this.
If Arsenal beat Sevilla they should win Group H. Last season they flopped out in the Round of 32, so they now need to make a statement. Beating Sevilla would be a statement.
On Matchday 1 last year, there were plenty of goals.
Arsenal were in Hamburg where the keeper brought down van Persie and was sent off. Gilberto netted the penalty in 12 minutes and Rosicky hit a sensational shot from outside the box in 53. Hamburg scored at the death but Arsenal won 2-1against ten men.
Roma beat Shakhtar 4-0, Valencia won 4-2 in Athens against Olympiacos, Bayern Munich hammered Moscow Spartak 4-0, Man United beat Celtic 3-2, and AC Milan thumped AEK Athens 3-0.
Please note this from Matchday 1in 2006 : Dynamo Kiev 1 Steua Bucharest 4.
So there were no big shocks, really, this time last year. PSV Eindhoven 0 Liverpool 0 was a scoreline that surprised nobody. Rafa Benitez doesn’t give you much. Porto host Liverpool on ITV1 at 7.45 tonight but don’t expect a goal festival.
Fernando Torres is playing in the Champions League at last, so he is delighted. He has never been a prolific goalscorer because he has never played in a strong team until now. Clearly, Torres is talented enough to play for any team in the Champions League, so Liverpool are very glad to have him. However, Liverpool are a low-scoring team. Can Torres be a high-scoring centre forward in a low-scoring team?